The World's Greatest Detectives
by MentalMind
Summary: Batman joins L in the Kira investigation.
1. Prologue

A news copter whips around the Gotham City Police Department, its onboard camera focusing on the building's rooftop. Atop the GCPD sits a spotlight with a special emblem etched onto it. The symbol is that of a winged creature, similar to that of a bat. Gothamites and criminals learned rather quickly that this signal was often used to call upon the city's urban legend.. The Batman.

However, the logo has been altered to be upside down now with black markings to shape devilish eyes above it. The signal now shines what looks like a horrid face that matches what you would carve into a pumpkin if it were meant to be scary. This artistic change was done by none other than one of the many physcopaths in Batman's rogues gallery.. The Scarecrow.

Scarecrow's appearance resembled his dubbed name, a tatterdemalion. Around the lanky man's neck was a noose that tied down the bag on his head. Even that was covered by a tattered black gainsborough hat. The lunatic even had small bits of straw poking out from different spots of his outfit. The only thing that didn't coincide with a scarecrow's look was the devices attached to his hands. Metallic gauntlet like equipment wrapped around his arms as if they were lengthy gloves. On the ends of his fingertips were syringes filled with a special toxin the madman invented himself.

The Scarecrow had taken the police precinct hostage, the department's commissioner bound to a chair on the rooftop. James Gordon struggled against his restraints but was far too old to break free. His age reflected upon his appearance, greying hair that included his mustache. The commissioner even needed to wear glasses twenty four even for his sight to be clear, back in his youth the man didn't need any. Now the bifocals had been damaged, one lense cracked & the other fallen out. Gordon's face had been bruised from his captive's torture, scars and dried blood cover the commissioner's head.

The Scarecrow wields a scythe long enough to be the Grim Reaper's, and places the blade under Gordon's chin. Its a threat for the news chopper to not get too close, but also a taunt for the world to see. Aboard the aircraft is news reporter Vicki Vale, a beautiful natural redhead providing live coverage. The camera man gets the perfect angle with Vicki to the right and a view of Scarecrow behind her.

"-Jonathon Crane AKA The Scarecrow seems to have taken a hostage onto the rooftop now. From where we're flying, we can make out that the situation has escalated to a point that-", the reporter stops short upon seeing the rooftop entrance door kicked down by a shadowy figure. Nobody had ever caught him on camera before, until now, he's just been a myth..

The Batman steps out onto the rooftop, his cape covering his body so the only evidence to prove he's human is the open part of his cowl. The dark knight narrows his blank white eyes as he scopes out the environment. It was just as menacing as the small pointed tips on his head that resembled horns, some had thought him to be a demon due to the look. However, Jonathon Crane knew better after so many times battling the caped crusader. The Scarecrow knew just how human Batman really is.

"Let him go Crane.", Batman ordered with his fists clenching in anger behind his cape.

Batman was using the cloth to conceal himself after fighting Crane's cronies within the precinct. They had been armed with AK-47's & FN FAL's, despite the bullet proof suit, shrapnel pierced the body armor. To ensure he could still use his scare tactics, Batman wanted to hide his blood.

" ** _I_** **DON'T** ** _intend_** **on doing** ** _that anytime soon.",_** The Scarecrow spoke through a distorted voice. The scythe pressed against Gordon's neck got deeper, starting to dig into the skin as a warning to Batman - don't come any closer.

Back on the helicopter, Vicki Vale was going nuts. "Are you getting this?! The Batman appears to be having a standoff with The Scarecrow!", she cried out with both terror and glee. The media was going to be in a frenzy after this!

Crane wasn't as skilled a fighter as Batman, but even so, the dark knight's injuries would put Gordon at risk if he rushed in head on. Scarecrow would be able to slit the commissioner's throat before Batman could even get three steps across the roof. The caped crusader began considering using one of his gadgets, perhaps a bat-a-rang. However, if he threw that at the scythe or Crane, Gordon would be at risk of the reflex from the sudden jerk.

Crane had Batman beat, the legendary figure was at Scarecrow's mercy. All Batman could do now was try and bargain, but the dark knight also knew there was no reasoning with a deranged being such as Jonathon Crane. Still, he had to try..

"You wanted _me._ Take _me_ instead.", Batman offered. There was no sense in trying to talk Crane down, all he could do was attempt to swap places with James Gordon as the hostage.

 **"** **You'll** ** _find that I'm_** **NOT SO EASILY** ** _manipulated, Batman.",_** The Scarecrow chuckled with sinister undertones. **"You're** **forgetting** ** _that I was_** ** _a professor_** ** _in psychology.",_** Crane laughed.

Batman gritted his teeth, he was getting nowhere with this. It wasn't like he was stalling for time, there was no more Robin to back him up. Richard 'Dick' Grayson had moved to Bludhaven & become a new hero called Nightwing. After that, Batman had tried appointing a new Robin who's identity was Jason Todd. That was a mistake the caped crusader would come to regret forever.. a maniac called The Joker had murdered Jason Todd because Batman brought him into his crusade. Ever since, Batman vowed to work alone. Nobody would ever be given the Robin mantle ever again.

Batman's fingers found themselves digging into one of the many pouches in his utility belt. There was one option for how he was going to save Gordon and even that would be risky. The device Batman pulled out was no bigger than a nickel but with a simple press, it emitted a high pitched frequency that would spread across all of Gotham. However, it was at a certain level that humans wouldn't be capable of hearing. On the other hand, _bats_ would have no problem locating the source of the sound.

In the caves and secret taverns beneath the city, the winged creatures flocked towards the noise like a homing beacon. It would be a matter of time before the flying animals swarmed the rooftop, and it would provide the perfect distraction for Batman to rush Scarecrow.

Elsewhere, in Japan, a young man watches the display from his television. Despite living in another country, the boy learned how to speak various languages, including English. The onlooker's name is Light Yagami, a light brown haired school student that wishes to rid the world of criminals such as Jonathon Crane. If he were like any other ordinary civilian, all he'd be able to do was watch.. but he recently fell into possession of an immense power.

Light Yagami had been walking home from school just a week ago when a black notebook fell from the sky. On the cover, were the words scratched on like a monster used its claw to write it: **Death Note.** When Light looked inside, he read a page explaining what the notebook could do, the rules of its abilities, and more.

Apparently, the journal had the power to kill anyone who's name was written inside. If you didn't specify how and when, the victim would die of a heart attack within forty seconds. Like most people would assume, Light thought this was some sort of odd joke. He didn't believe such a thing could be possible..and if it were, nobody should have such a power.

However, Light did think it would be funny to test it. He figured he should use it on a criminal if anything, then if it turned out to be real, nobody innocent would die. That's when Light discovered that the Death Note truly worked, and it belonged to a Shinigami. The notebook's owner was a Death God named Ryuk, who had grown bored and wanted to see what a human would do if given this ability. Ever since, Light has become a vigilante like the ones he idolized from America. Though he may not be as fast as The Flash or indestructible as Superman, he could still save lives! So Light began killing criminals that resided not only in Japan, but around the entire world.

Watching the intense situation on the news, Light sharpened a new pencil and began to write out Jonathon Crane's name in the notebook. With a proud smile, Light looked back and forth between the television & the watch on his wrist. It was just a matter of forty seconds now..

On the rooftop, Batman prepared to engage Scarecrow, it was a matter of forty seconds for the bats to swarm him. As the time ticked by, everyone waited impatiently for what would happen next.

After the moment passed, Scarecrow grabbed his chest like he had been shot by an invisible bullet. This made Batman hesitate for a brief moment, taken aback by the strange motion. Only for a moment though, as the bats he called flew down in a massive flock.

The news copter reeled back to avoid getting them caught up in the turbines or propeller. Besides, the camera couldn't show anything past the small black blurs whizzing by.

As for Batman, he used the opportunity to charge Scarecrow and perform a flying kick that nailed Crane in the face. Jonathon Crane plopped over as if he were already unconscious, but Batman paid no mind as he turned to help cut Gordon free. In one swift motion, the caped crusader slices the rope with a bat-a-rang.

"Go!", Batman orders the commissioner before turning around to face Crane again. The dark knight expects to see Scarecrow standing in a fighting stance, but is in awe to find the complete opposite.

Jonathon Crane lays crumpled up in a pile as if he had fallen off the roof. Batman approaches with caution to examine the corpse, wondering if this is some sort of trick. The detective discovers that this is no ploy upon placing his fingers on Crane's neck to check the vitals. Batman worries for a brief moment that his kick may have been too strong. Did he break his opponent's collarbone? Upon examination, the detective concludes that the neck bones are still in tact. The crusader recalls the moment that Scarecrow clutched his chest and examines there.

It doesn't take Batman long to figure out what had really killed Crane... it was a heart attack.

 _End Prologue_

 _Next: Encounter!_


	2. Encounter!

Wayne Enterprises was in complete chaos, phone calls coming in left and right within the R&D Department while secretaries scrambled from office to office trying to deliver documents. The company had just increased their stock ten fold & Wayne Tech recently struck a deal with investors such as Oliver Queen and Ted Kord. The change resulted in an increased workload that had employers begging for a raise.

Everybody was so busy that not a single one of the masses noticed Bruce Wayne himself entering the building. The handsome black haired billionaire flashed a toothy grin whilst straightening the tie on his business suit. Not only was he the owner of the major company, but Bruce Wayne had been regarded as Gotham's Golden Age son. The Wayne family made a huge impact within the city, bringing about all sorts of courteous investments. Thanks to this, he had to surface on occasion for the public eye.

When he wasn't the owner of a vast corporation during the day, Bruce dawned a cape & cowl to become the defender of the night. Until now, nobody had considered the vigilante known as Batman to be a real thing. Some thought it was a rumor made by the police to ward off criminals, while others believed Batman to be an urban legend such as the likes of Bigfoot or Mothman. Now, the entire world knew that the dark knight existed and it was all anybody could talk about.

Bruce thought back to the events that had transpired last night. One of his oldest rivals, Jonathon Crane AKA The Scarecrow, had a heart attack in the midst of their fight. While it isn't uncommon for a middle aged man to die this way, it peeked Bruce's interest. With men who could run at Mach 4 these days & others who could straight up fly, anything seemed possible. Bruce fought creatures that tripled his strength & size who had the appearance of crocodiles or bats! This made the billionaire wonder if someone had the ability to give others heart attacks.

He wasn't allowed to stay in deep thought for long as an employee sprinted past him, nearly causing the two to fumble. Bruce noticed that several workers were in the same frenzy, rushing back and forth to deliver paperwork. It would be like trying to cross a road with cars going both ways. Luckily for Bruce, he had trained with many skilled people and could dodge the oncoming traffic easily. He let out a sigh of relief upon making it to the elevator.

The man was exhausted from spending his nights battling criminals and it showed in his appearance. The bags under his eyes sunk into the stressed wrinkles he began gaining while the once tall pose slouched into a tired sulk. Bruce found his fingers thumbing his chin, feeling the stubble he had started growing from not shaving. This side of the billionaire never showed through to the public, only behind closed doors did he allow for himself to rest.

When the elevator doors dinged open, Bruce returned to his false upbeat stature. Even though the floor he was on only had his office, a secretary had been placed out front to ensure nobody just waltzed in. The woman perked up upon seeing her boss, unlike her co-workers, she had nothing to do until Bruce arrived. The personal secretary spent her days mostly playing Solitaire or texting her friends.

"Good Morning Mister Wayne!", she greeted Bruce as he stepped out of the elevator.

"Morning Veronica, anything new for me today?", the billionaire asked.

The secretary named Veronica nodded before digging into a desk drawer. "As a matter of fact, I do!", she said.

Bruce raised an eyebrow in curiosity, normally he just sat in his office or occasionally attended board meetings. Whatever Veronica had for him was a complete mystery.

The company owner was surprised when his secretary placed a laptop on the desk between them. "A Japanese man stopped by this morning and left me this. His name was.. I hope I pronounce this correctly.. Watari?", Veronica explained.

Bruce's suspicion never wavered as he cautiously took the mobile computer from his secretary. "Did he say what for?", the billionaire asked.

"I'm afraid not, but he had the proper credentials to show he worked for some sort of agency. I think its the feds..", Veronica replied.

Bruce's curiosity only doubled upon hearing Veronica's suggestion. He couldn't wait anymore, he needed to see what was on the laptop. "Thanks. I'll be sure to look into it.", Bruce said before going into his office.

The billionaire made sure to shut the door behind myself before going to work. He didn't want Veronica to see the secret compartment he had hidden within his desk. All it took to open the storage unit was a specific rhythmic tapping on a button one would consider to be a panic alarm given first glance. Within the compartment was a select few gadgets, one of which being a device that scans for bombs or any other malicious technology. When the scanner confirmed that the laptop wasn't a trap, Bruce booted up the computer to see what this 'Watari' was all about.

The first thing that happened logging on, was a remote link activating so a live chat could open up. Bruce eyed the connection suspiciously as it loaded, as if it were waiting on the receiving end. Eventually, the transmission completed and a connection became secured. Bruce noticed the laptop's built in webcam had turned on, but all the billionaire could see was a single letter.

A capital L in the Cloister Black Font was colored white over a black screen. It was made instantly known that the person Bruce was streaming with could see him but not vice versa. This symbol was like his own, meant to signify something.. Bruce just hadn't figured out what yet.

"Hello Mister Wayne.", came the sound of a distorted voice through the computer's mic. Whoever Bruce was speaking with had disguised their voice thanks to some kind of modifier.

Even though he was very tech savvy and could possibly disable the filter, Bruce had to restrain himself. As far as he could tell, whoever Bruce was talking to didn't know about his alter ego and that meant he had to play ignorant.

"Um, may I ask who I'm speaking to?", Bruce questioned while giving his best performance to act scared and using his actual confusion to display those emotions as well.

"You can call me L. I have to say Mister Wayne, I'm a rather huge fan of yours.", the disguised voice replied with a tone that Bruce could make out as sounding excited.

Ignoring the statement, the billionaire got straight to the point in asking his question, "What's this all about?".

"It's to my knowledge that you're aware of Jonathon Crane's.. 'passing'. I would like to discuss this further.", the person now identified as L kept a calm & collective voice in this statement.

Bruce had to keep himself from showing the shock he felt in his expression. His suspicions about Crane's death being a murder had suddenly become a fact. All that was left to do now was discover if this person calling themself L had to do with it. Bruce made sure to conceal his movements off camera as he inserted another device from the compartment into the computer.

The gadget Bruce was using worked to descramble L's coding & locate the mysterious voice. As the device managed that task, Bruce did his own job on disabling L's voice modification. The mention of Crane's death had him working overtime to discover who this person really was.

"Yes, I happened to see it all on the news..", Bruce lied as he stalled for time. It would take roughly six minutes to complete his hacking.

"You don't have to be coy with me Mister Wayne. I've already figured out your secret.", L replied.

Bruce's blood ran cold, his identity was a close guarded secret only known to his allies. For anybody else to discover his alter ego would put his friends in danger, especially if they were a criminal. Bruce hoped that L meant something else by this phrasing and decided to continue to keep up his act.

"What secret is that.. um, mister L? Is there something else I can call you?", Bruce would have enjoyed pretending to be the dumb billionaire everyone thought him to be if it weren't for the potential threat L posed to him & his identity.

"You'll find that our connection is secured and nobody else will hear this conversation. That being said.. I can safely share with you that I'm well aware you spend your nights as the Batman.", L replied.

Bruce's blood went from cold to heated after hearing the confirmation that L knew about his alter ego after all. Even so, he tried to detour the person's suspicions, "Me? Batman? I think you'll find that I spend my nights joy riding in my convertible rather than beating on criminals."

L let a little chuckle escape his lips before responding, "You want me to spread out the evidence for you. I understand. Aside from the blatantly obvious clues that is..", the disguised voice sighed before explaining how it knew about Bruce's alter ego.

"Last night isn't the only time I've seen you in action as the Batman, Mister Wayne. I spent years studying you in the event we may ever meet..you became my personally favorite mystery to solve. The street cameras and reported witnesses of Batman sightings confirmed you use specialized equipment. With that information, it was simple to deduce that the Batman had to amass in some kind of fortune.", L started with the obvious first.

"With there being only a handful of civilians in Gotham's population holding such investments, I looked into every single one. Out of them all, you seemed to be the one with the highest motivation for going on such a crusade. My sincere apologies for what happened to your parents.. After their murder, you disappeared for some time and came back within the same time span the Batman first appeared.", L went over the details that helped him narrow down his investigation.

"All this has been pointed out by the authorities when they investigated the Batman themselves. You'll find from their case files that I've been made no longer a suspect.", Bruce replied in his defense.

"Yes, yes. I know of this and yet I disregarded their investigation due to my burning suspicions. I dug further into your history so I could discover just exactly where you went after your parent's murder. You traveled around the world for years so it'd be difficult to name all the places you visited, but it's safe to say each one left you with sustainable knowledge. You left Gotham to train.. didn't you Mister Wayne?", L said more than asked.

"I'll tell you what I told the authorities.. I was a confused child at the time, I was trying to find myself and that came in the form of exploring several cultures.", Bruce counter argued.

"A perfect alibi Mister Wayne. However, you're forgetting the other clues you left in your wake..", L replied. "I'll move onto what really sold it for me. The Robins you accumulated, both appeared within a few weeks time after Bruce Wayne took in a ward.", the new evidence was damning.

"I can see how that may look to be the case, but..", Bruce started to think of an excuse but L cut him off before he could get one out.

"Oh, that's not all Mister Wayne. I also researched your hospital records, finding several unexplained treatments. As for more documentation that further proves my point, Wayne Enterprises R&D Department mysteriously loses ten percent of its equipment every year. I checked for any logged break ins and found none, which means this stock must have been taken by someone with high access to the corporation. A select few have this access.. you and a man named Lucius Fox.", L pulled no punches in strewing out the remaining evidence.

The man Bruce was speaking to certainly had a keen mind with vast resources, it reminded him of Edward Nygma AKA The Riddler, another member of Batman's rogues gallery. Bruce had dealt with such tacticians before but this one was proving to be the smartest.

Finally, the device Bruce was using to bypass L's encryption completes its job. He pulls up the information obtained and disables the voice modification as well.

"Well Done L, you figured me out. However, in the time that we've talked, I've figured _you_ out too. You reside in Japan at the Teito Hotel.. and I'm coming for you.", Bruce dropped the charismatic voice and allowed for his deep & raspy tone to come out.

L remained silent for a moment before responding, "I should have assumed that the Batman would live up to his expectations.", the voice no longer had modification to it and confirmed that L was indeed a man who resided in Japan due to his accent. Bruce took notice that the voice was rather young as well.

"Can you speak Japanese?", L asked in his native language.

"Yes.", was all Bruce said back in the same tongue.

"Good. Watari informs me that my English needs a little work.", L casually replied. "I trust you've met him already.", the still elusive man adds.

"I haven't had the pleasure. My secretary was the one who gave me your laptop.", Bruce replied back. The whole conversation was in Japanese and neither detective missed a beat.

"I see, so you haven't been informed of why I'm contacting you. I apologize, you must be very confused. Allow me to explain.", the Japanese voice has a tone of sincerity to it.

"I am the world renowned detective named Eraldo Coil.", L says quickly.

Bruce narrows his eyes, "That's a lie. The real Coil died several years ago. Somebody took his alias to solve a multitude of cases soon afterwards though, a legend much like the one I created as Batman. In Japan, a mysterious detective lurks.. is this person you?", Bruce is uncertain whether he can trust the man called L and intends to put him to the test.

"Quite perceptive of you Mister Wayne. Yes, I used several aliases to keep my presence a well guarded secret. Another false name I used was that of Hideki Ryuga, you can search it up if you wish to make certain I'm not lying.", L replies.

"Hideki Ryuga is a Japanese pop star.", Bruce coldly says back. He caught L in his own fib.

"Yes, that was a former singer put into protective custody. I gave him the alias as a precaution for the both of us.", L explains. "If you want to call him yourself and ask, I still have his phone number.", L quickly adds.

"No need, I can fact check you myself.", Bruce replies as he uses his own cellphone to tap into a super computer he has hidden under Wayne Manor. Back when 'Dick' Grayson was Robin, Richard had jokingly called it the 'Bat-Computer'.

Remotely from his cellular device, Bruce wires into the mainframe and uses it to search every possible record that may exist according to what L had just told him. It takes only a moment to cover every existing browser, including the dark web, and locate hidden files regarding the pop star's case. Upon examination, Bruce learns that L is telling the truth.

"Continue..", the billionaire says whilst putting the phone back in his pocket.

"As I was saying, I'm a high ranking detective only assigned to high ranking cases. That being said, the world has had an extremely rapid rate of increasing heart attack victims. What makes me concerned that this isn't just mere coincidence is the specified deaths pertaining to only criminals shown in the media.", L explains.

"You're saying that Crane is one of these victims..", Bruce connects the dots quite easily.

"Correct. Considering you've also been given the title of 'World's Greatest Detective' and this murder occurred in _your_ city, I would like for the two of us to work together in solving this mystery.", L finally gets to the reason why he contacted Bruce.

"You said these supposed murders have been happening all around the world, where would we even begin in finding the one responsible?", Bruce asks.

"I have a hunch the killings originated here in Japan. The first two days had numerous casualties covering criminals only shown in our media outlet. It was soon after that when it spread to other countries.", L suggests.

"A hunch isn't much to go on.", Bruce said doubtingly.

"Sometimes it's all you have to begin an investigation. I would like for you to fly out of Gotham and join me in Japan so we can discuss matters more. Believe me when I say I have a plan on how to find this murderer.", L says back.

Bruce rubbed the temples of his nose in frustration. He wanted to get to the bottom of this and catch Crane's killer if it turned out that there was one.. but going to another country seemed to be too much. It wasn't like it was out of his jurisdiction, for Batman, no criminal is safe wherever they reside. He's gone to other cities such as Metropolis before, this would be no different despite the longer distance.

Still, precautions would have to be made in his absence, someone would need to protect Gotham while he was gone. His butler, friend, and father figure Alfred Pennyworth would tell him to call Nightwing and have him fill in. It seemed to be the only logical option if Bruce were to fly to Japan.

As for his excuse on why Bruce Wayne would be going there, all he had to do was bring a few actresses with him to use the 'playboy' act. A well deserved vacation is what he would call it..

"Very well. I look forward to meeting you in person, L.", Bruce reluctantly agreed to work with the mystery detective.

"As do I working with you.. Batman.", L responded.

 _Next: Light Yagami Meets Bruce Wayne!_


	3. Light Yagami Meets Bruce Wayne!

On the other side of the door was a threat far more dangerous than any of the psychopaths Batman faced in his entire crusade..paparazzi. The media was swarming Bruce Wayne's private jet as soon as it landed in Japan. The billionaire took a deep breath as if he were about to dive deep into the crowd and opened the airplane door. The bright flashes of cameras and the gleaming sun would have blinded Bruce if he weren't used to taking flash-bangs head on or battling someone such as Doctor Light. Despite the reporters desperate for a story and cameras getting shoved in his face, the push through the crowd wasn't as bad as previously thought.

The paparazzi would have far more difficult to handle if it hadn't been for Bruce's butler. Alfred Pennyworth had decided to tag along with the billionaire and enjoy a nice vacation when he wouldn't be handling Batman work. The well kept man wore a suit and tie like Bruce, along with black rimmed Old Focals eyeglasses. Alfred's hairline was receding with age, the British man's gray hair also a showing sign. The butler's mustache remained a shade of dark black, still untouched by the loss of youth. Despite this friendly and gentlemen like appearance, Alfred could sometimes be quite scary..

"Get back you wild animals! GET BACK, I SAY!", Pennyworth shouted whilst warding the media off by swinging the luggage he carried at them. The butler eventually got Bruce and himself to the limo waiting to whisk them away and put the baggage in the vehicle's trunk.

As Bruce and Alfred were chauffeured, the two began to discuss their true reasoning behind being in Japan. To ensure the driver wouldn't hear a word, the two had a sound proof barrier slide closed in between the front and back seating areas. As an extra precaution, they spoke in Russian with hopes that the driver wouldn't understand anything they said in the events he did somehow overhear them.

"This mysterious 'L' certainly has a lot of resources. If he were to pose a threat, he would be a rather large one. Are you sure he can be trusted?", Alfred asked.

"That's what I'm going to find out.", Bruce replied as he opened a hidden compartment in the seating that allowed for him to reach into the trunk. Once he managed to grab a briefcase, Wayne had to punch in a six digit code before he could pop the locks.

Inside the case was a bunch of paperwork regarding Wayne Enterprises and its stock funds. This was a decoy to anyone unfamiliar with the secret compartment within the briefcase. Bruce slipped his finger under the cover and used it to scan for a fingerprint before he could open that lock as well. Once the cover was removed, the true contents were revealed.. The Batman Armor.

"What shall I tell the driver?", Alfred asked as Bruce began suiting up.

"I think you should be more concerned with what you're going to tell L and Watari.", Bruce joked as he put on the suit's gauntlets. Three pronged blades deployed from each of the gloves as they sealed to his skin.

"I've come up with rather fine excuses in the past, but I don't think using a fake mistress will work this time. He DOES know that you're Batman after all..", Alfred worried.

"Doesn't hurt to try. You'll think of something Alfred, you always do.", Bruce encouraged his friend.

Alfred lets out an exasperated sigh in response before removing his glasses to clean them. The elder man can't help but rub the temples of his eyes and nose in frustration.

"You'll be fine Alfred.", Bruce reassures his father figure before putting on his cowl.

"As long as I don't have to use the bathroom..", Alfred mutters before realizing his mistake.

Bruce cocks an eye under his mask, mildly confused. "Did you just say..", he starts to ask with a small smile forming.

"Oh, bugger off! My Russian is a bit rusty these days.", Alfred crosses his arms in defense.

Bruce can't help but chuckle a little as he opens the floor panel to get under the limo. Despite the vehicle going eighty miles per hour on the highway, Batman climbs out from under it and holds on the entire time. Once he gets a clear shot, Batman uses his grappling hook to repel off the moving vehicle.

Although Bruce had already left the limousine, Alfred gave small words of encouragement like he usually did when his friend would leave the cave to patrol Gotham. "Good luck Bruce.", Pennyworth whispers to nobody in particular.

As the day turned to dawn, Batman leapt across unfamiliar rooftops. Japan was a new terrain for him and it would take some getting used to, but Bruce took no time to practice as he detached a device from his utility belt. The gadget would work like a GPS system and guide him to a place he had discovered when researching L, an orphanage that Bruce believed the detective had grown up in.

After traveling a great distance, Batman finally reached the destination and perched himself upon a street post. The large metal gates and brick wall built to prevent intruders from getting in deemed no challenge as Batman leaped right over them. The patrolling guards were nothing short of Arkham Asylum's as Bruce snuck past those just as easily.

It was then a matter of getting in through an office window undetected and going through folders in a filing cabinet. Batman made sure to move quietly and carefully as he scanned over each one with a mini flashlight. Eventually, Bruce found a file pertaining to a child kept there at one time named L Lawliet. Batman was shocked to say the least upon discovering that the man's name was truly L.

However, any suspicions that L was some sort of master criminal trying to deceive him could now be put to rest. The evidence that Lawliet did indeed reside in Wammy's House, an orphanage for gifted children, was undeniable. Bruce felt like a weight had been lifted now that he could trust a new ally.

Just as Bruce was about to put everything back as it was so he could leave, he heard the office door slowly creak open and evaded the hallway's entering beam of light. In the doorway was a young boy with white shaggy hair and tired gray eyes. The child wore white long sleeved pajama tops and bottoms, likely supposed to be bed at the late hour.

Batman made no effort to conceal himself, certain that the boy had already seen him. Bruce began to worry that the child would scream or cry out of fear upon seeing the shadowy figure Batman imposed. The caped crusader's shock and relief was vast when he saw no expression change on the white haired boy's face.

"Shouldn't you be in bed?", Batman said softly in Japanese while crouching down so he could be at a similar height as the kid's. Bruce had dealt with children before and remained composed to ensure he didn't scare them.

The boy continued to stare blankly at the masked man, "You can speak English if you want..", the white haired child responded in Bruce's language.

Bruce was taken aback by how such a young child could speak two languages but remembered that this orphanage was for gifted minds. "Okay. Why aren't you asleep?", Batman asked again, this time in English.

"I like to come in here at night so I can think. This is the only room that has cards or dice for me to play with.", the white haired boy replied while entering the same room as Batman.

Bruce watches curiously as the strange kid opens a cabinet and pulls out containers of dice. The boy pays Batman no mind as he begins stacking the ivories in a unique fashion that appears to be a similar structure to Osaka city. Batman smiles, amazed to see such a brilliant mind in someone so young.

"I believe you'll grow up to do good things some day, kid..", Bruce praises the boy before exiting through the orphanage's window.

Meanwhile, Alfred Pennyworth had arrived at Teito Hotel where he was being greeted by L's colleague known only as Watari. The older man resembled Alfred if his hairline hadn't receded and his mustache had grayed.

"Welcome Mister Pennyworth.", Watari formally invited the butler to follow him inside as he took the luggage to carry himself. It took a moment for the Japanese man to notice they were one person short. "Where's Mister Wayne?", Watari asked with certain concern.

"He'll be joining us shortly. Master Wayne had a few.. 'errands' to run.", Alfred replied with a smile.

Batman's legs pumped full throttle as he ran across anomalous rooftops. The vigilante occasionally used his grappling hook to get across farther gaps. Bruce gritted his teeth in annoyance as he hurried to the hotel Alfred had been driven to. The rush reminded the caped crusader of the night he was too late, when he lost Jason. The immense feelings of guilt that he didn't get there in time made the detective push himself to move faster, despite Alfred not being in any sort of immediate danger, it motivated the hero to hurry.

The driver argued with Alfred and Watari in Japanese about how the billionaire had been in the backseat and somehow vanished. The sweat on his brow was usual for Alfred, he would normally find himself in these situations when it came to Bruce's excuses for going out as Batman.

Watari wasn't the average person in this scenario, Alfred found himself gulping back his anxiety as the Japanese man examined the vehicle for signs of how Bruce pulled his vanishing act. The limo's interior had been returned to its previous state after Batman baled, but Watari discovered the removable floor panel almost immediately.

"How could a man climb out from the bottom of a moving vehicle?", Watari asked himself outloud.

Alfred overheard the question and rolled his eyes, there was nothing Bruce could do that surprised the butler these days. When Batman first began his crusade, Alfred had the same appalled thoughts, but now it seemed above average acts.

"I'm afraid L was only expecting Mister Wayne. Considering you weren't originally in our expectations and the former isn't here, I can't make any acceptions.", Watari sighs in disappointment.

"Quite understandable sir, I just ask that you wait a little while longer.", Alfred replies as he checks the watch upon his wrist. Bruce was cutting it close this time, but he always found a way to make it.

"Time is a virtue and I worry that we've already wasted enough of it. I'll be escorting you back to your vehicle now.", Watari says as he gestures for Alfred to get back in the limo.

The seconds tick by as Alfred continues staring at his watch, the time he and Bruce had set nearly passed. Just as Pennyworth begins to obey Watari's request, the billionaire rounds the corner in an out of breath manner.

"Sorry I'm late!", Bruce apologizes in between gasps for air.

"Bloody hell, don't you think you were cutting it close with this one?", Alfred scolded.

"Yeah, it took me a little while longer to get changed than I thought it would. Tying a tie myself is hard, ya know?", Bruce excused himself while fixing the messy hair he had obtained from wearing his mask.

Watari cocked an eyebrow, taking notice of the billionaire's disheveled appearance. The suit jacket was unbuttoned and just as wrinkled as the untucked dress shirt underneath. One shoe was untied and the other was missing, leaving only a sock in its place. What stood out most was the lack of what Bruce had mentioned in his explanation for being late.

"I don't see a tie..", Watari pointed out, causing everyone to notice the missing dress piece. The billionaire was already humid with sweat, but he was now drenched upon scrambling for another explanation.

"Uhh.. Yeah, I gave up on it.. Because it was so hard!", Bruce rasped out slowly as he thought of the false reason for forgetting his tie.

Alfred couldn't help but facepalm as Watari shrugged it off. "Very well, follow me and I'll escort you to L's room.", the Japanese man replied before leading the team into the hotel.

The wait in the elevator and journey through the halls were silent awkward ones. Eventually, they reached the room in which L resided, a key needed from Watari to unlock the door. Once it opened, Bruce was shocked to see what was on the other side.

The mysterious L was finally revealed, what surprised Bruce most was how young Lawliet turned out to be. The slim & tall boy had long and messy black hair that reminded Bruce of his first ward, Richard 'Dick' Grayson. One of the most noticeable features Bruce sought out was the shadows below each of L's eyes. Bruce had gotten some of his own and believed they shared the trait of being insomniacs to give off this appearance. Bruce looked his new ally up and down, noticing how the baggy long sleeved white shirt & jeans were oversized on the young man.

L spun around in a roller desk chair to meet his company, staying perched in a distinct hunch. Lawliet kept himself balanced on the front of his bare feet, yet remained perfectly comfortable & composed. On the desk behind L was a small monitor that displayed live news coverage. On the screen was a man with similarly long black hair and a gray suit.

"Ah, welcome! Come watch TV with me Batman.", L cheerfully greeted Bruce.

Bruce recoiled at being called his alter ego when out of costume. "Please, call me Bruce.", the billionaire insisted as he approached L to see what was on the monitor more clearly. Watari closed and locked the door behind himself as Alfred stayed back.

"Alright. You can continue to call me L.", the young man joked. Bruce found L's dry sense of humor to be rather condescending. Sarcastic remarks such as these only tripled the similarity to the first Robin named Dick Grayson.

As Bruce neared the monitor, he began hearing the low set volume clearer. "What you're doing.. is evil.", the gray suited man said with a smirk. Bruce took notice of a desk name tag that read 'Lind L. Tailor' and began to wonder what the live video was about.

"What is this?", the billionaire asked out loud.

"I'm glad you asked. If all goes accordingly, you'll find out soon enough along with everyone else.", L replies as he turns his attention back to the monitor. The baggy eyed detective placed his thumb under his lip as he begin analyzing the situation and waited for what would happen next.

A short moment passed before the man supposedly named Lind L. Tailor clutched his chest and convulsed on live television. Bruce was in in shock as he watched the gray suited man slump over and soon after get dragged off screen by security guards. _Just like Crane.._ , Bruce thought.

L leaned forward in his seat, equally as intrigued. Lawliet than proceeded to tap a button on his keyboard and his logo appeared on the screen. Bruce exchanged a glance with the other detective, curious and surprised that L was going to speak over the live broadcast.

The voice was filtered like when L spoke to Bruce in his office at Wayne Enterprises. "I had to test this, just in case, but I never thought it would actually happen..", he said to Bruce more specifically but also as his first introduction to the world.

"It seems you can kill people without having to be there in person. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't just witnessed it.", L was addressing the heart attack killer now. Bruce began to understand what he had just watched, Lawliet had set some sort of trap for the murderer.

"Listen to me, if you did just indeed kill Lind L. Tailor, the man who you just saw die on television, I should tell you that he was an inmate whose execution was scheduled for today. That was not me..", L explained.

Bruce was too in shock to say anything, but his frustrations boiled as he thought about the extreme measure L had taken. Lawliet had used a human being as bait for a murderer, despite them being an inmate scheduled for execution, it felt morally wrong. Regardless, L gave no breathing room as he continued his explanation.

"The police arrested him in absolute secrecy, so you wouldn't have heard of him on TV or through the internet. It appears that not even you have access to these types of criminals.", Lawliet declared.

Bruce began to realize why L had used a human sacrifice, it was to prove that this person wasn't a vigilante seeking justice by killing criminals, but a murderer who would eliminate even people considered to be police or within the confines of the law. Lawliet's reputation managed to live up to its hype since the detective had just managed to prove this heart attack killer was not only real, but could murder without being there. Not to mention this person was indeed a murderer and no vigilante as previously thought..

"But I assure you, L is real. **I** am real! I _do_ exist!", Lawliet was revealing himself to the world in the same manner Batman had recently done. The legend became real and something to symbolize justice.

"Now.. try to kill me!", L shouted. The statement shocked everyone in the room, even Watari who had gone over the plan with Lawliet several times.

"What are you doing, what if you get yourself killed?", Bruce asked in a hushed whisper so he wouldn't get picked up through the microphone.

"Come on, do it! Kill me! Can't you do it?!", L taunted. "If you could.. you already would have. Well, it seems you can't kill me after all. So there _are_ some people you can't kill. You've given me a useful hint.", L says with a victorious smirk after being able to clarify another clue.

Bruce lets out a breath he didn't know he had been holding, along with Watari and Alfred's sighs of relief. However, Lawliet wasn't done humiliating the killer and explaining his trap.

"Allow me to return the favor. I'll tell you something I think you'll find interesting. Although this was announced as a worldwide broadcast, the truth is, we are only broadcasting in the Kanto region of Japan. I had planned to display this message around the world until I found you, but it looks like that won't be necessary. I now know where you are.", L confirms that he was right about the killer's location and proves to Bruce the flight wasn't a wasted one.

"The police treated your first killing as an unrelated incident, but in actuality, the first of your victims was a suspect in Sinjuku. Of all the criminals that recently died of heart attacks, this one's crime was by far the least serious. Furthermore, his crime was only ever reported inside Japan. I used that information to deduce this much.. you are in Japan.", L explains his reasoning and how he had discovered this was the case.

"Your first victim must have been no more than a little experiment, which means you hadn't been killing for long. We decided to broadcast in Kanto first due to its large population and, luckily, we found you. To be completely honest, I never expected it to go this well. It won't be too long now until I'll be able to put an end to your crimes.", L finished his explanation.

"Naturally, I am very interested to know how you're able to commit these murders without being present..but I don't mind waiting a little while longer. You can answer all of my questions when I catch you. Let's meet again soon.", L continues speaking directly to the unforeseen murderer.

The live feed then ends its transmission, allowing Bruce and L to finally speak. "Well.. are you satisfied?", L asks.

Bruce rubs the temple of his forehead, completely taken aback by what had just transpired. "You certainly lived up to your reputation. Its no wonder you were at Wammy's House, Mister Lawliet.", Bruce makes it known that he can perform necessary field work in the investigation.

Watari's jaw nearly hit the floor as his eyes bulged from their sockets. The Japanese man showed his shocked expression, but if L felt the same way, the young man showed no signs. Instead, Lawliet kept a straight face and replied with the same cheerful attitude he had when Bruce first entered the hotel room.

"I expect nothing less from the Batman. We've both proven our deduction skills worthy enough to provide usefulness in this investigation. Now, let's discuss our next step.. shall we?", L says as he gets up from the roller chair he had been perched on the entire time.

L kept his slouched demeanor as he strolled over to a food service cart that had gone unnoticed until now. The youthful side of the detective began to show as he started scooping several balls of ice cream onto a cone. "Would you like two or three scoops?", Lawliet offered Bruce.

"I'll be fine.", the billionaire waved it off.

"Suit yourself.", L shrugged.

The two detectives then found themselves seated across from one another and prepared to discuss the next step in a plan to capture the heart attack killer.

"I'll put on some tea.", Alfred and Watari said at the same exact time. The two looked at one another with surprise. "Jinx.", Alfred joked.

Once the butlers gave the detectives the room, L began sharing more case details with Bruce. "Something I refrained from mentioning in my little speech, was that I narrowed down the age range of our killer that only got confirmation after Lind L. Tailor had been killed.", Lawliet stated.

Bruce leaned forward in his chair with intrigue as he listened to L's deduction. "I took notice that the killings had been taking place during the hours between four and six. Time only varied on the weekend. This leads me to believe our killer is merely a school student, which would explain his deluded sense of justice. The immaturity was furthermore proven when he was provoked by Lind L. Tailor.", Lawliet explains.

"Impressive. I've only just arrived and you've already narrowed it down this much.", Bruce praises L.

"Your turn.", L said as he finished the ice cream and started eating the cone.

Bruce chuckled at what he thought was a joke. When he realized L's expression hadn't changed, Bruce took notice that L was serious and wanted his thoughts on the investigation. "I.. I don't quite know what to make of it yet.", the billionaire shrugged.

"Come now Batman, you must have done some investigating of your own when not researching me. Was I the only one you looked into?", L teased.

"I did, but what I've got is more of a hunch than fact. I looked into the heart attack victims to see if any of them had similarities, to see if I could deduce a motive and come up with an idea of who he may target next. Doing so helped me discover that some killings had been done a day BEFORE the criminal was announced on television. Only someone with access to police records could know about these.", Bruce suggested.

L smiled upon hearing Bruce's evidence. "I had figured as much, I just wanted to hear it from you to be certain. With this information, I was able to narrow down our search to one person named Light Yagami. He's the son of the chief of NPA.", Lawliet replied.

Bruce thought about James Gordon and his son who had taken an interest in killing. This investigation was bringing about far too many pained memories. "We should present our leads to him and see if he can bust his son.", Bruce suggested. Light's father would surely want a say in the matter if this were the case and it only felt right to get him involved.

"I believe that'd be too risky. I would rather work with the FBI and have them trail Light to see what his daily routine is like. While the boy is at school, I would like for you to search his house.", L recommends.

"I'm assuming he can kill people with heart attacks given the chance to just see them. If he's as impulsive as you say, and he believes he's being followed, he'll kill the FBI agents. I won't allow them to take that risk.", Bruce disapproves of L's plan.

"Are you nominating yourself? I don't think Bruce Wayne following him would be any more ambiguous. Not to mention if Batman were to trail him..", L argues.

"Not unless I had good reason. How are his academics? I could say I'm seeking promising students and get in his good graces that way.", Bruce considers outloud.

L mulls it over in his head, his thumb on his lip in concentration. "It could work..", Lawliet comes to his conclusion.

The next day, Batman & L put their plan into action. When Light exited Daikoku Private Academy, Bruce Wayne was waiting out front with Alfred holding a sign that said 'Light Yagami'. The light brown haired boy approached them with both caution & confusion.

"Light Yagami. I'm Bruce Wayne.", the billionaire introduced himself with a toothy grin whilst extending his hand. Light hesitated before shaking the american's hand.

"I'm kind of a big deal in America..", Bruce tried to reason. "Anyways! I'm here because I'm seeking out talented individuals such as yourself. You excel in your classes and fit the criteria.", the billionaire lied.

Light Yagami was just as well dressed as Bruce, showing his intellect. The Japanese boy wore a tucked in white button up with a red tie. His black dress shoes matched his pants. "I see. It's a pleasure to meet you Mister Wayne.", Light replied.

"I know your mother probably told you not to take rides from strangers, but would you care to make an acception just this once? Alfred here could drive you home while we talk.", Bruce suggested. Alfred gave the young man an awkward wave.

"I appreciate the offer.. but I'll take the bus.", Light replied as he started walking away. Bruce jogged after the young man to catch up.

"Wait, I'll go with you! I wanted to discuss the opportunity to give you an internship at Wayne Enterprises.", Bruce used the practiced excuse for his being there to stay with Light.

"Like I said, I'm touched that you considered me.. but I'm not interested. I would rather explore a career in law.", Light brushed off the offer.

"Well, we could always use more security..", Bruce joked. The billionaire began scrambling internally for another excuse to follow Light.

The two reached a bus stop where Light turned to address Bruce again. "Is that all you wanted to ask me Mister Wayne?", Yagami was trying to politely shoo the billionaire.

Bruce huffed a heavy sigh, "Are you sure you won't reconsider?", he asked.

Once the bus arrived, Light gave his answer halfway through boarding it. "Afraid not.", Light shrugged.

Bruce looked back at Alfred who waited by the limo and then at the bus, "You know what, I've always wanted to see more of Japan. A little bus ride won't hurt anyone.", he used as an excuse to board. "You don't mind if I sit next to you, do you?", the billionaire asked Light.

Light's suspicions were on high alert at this point, his paranoia after the broadcast from L overtaking his mind. _It can't be a coincidence that someone such as Bruce Wayne comes to me after the broadcast. Damn it, how did L already find me? Killing Wayne would just raise more suspicion.. especially since he's such a large figure head. Still, I need to get this guy off my back.._ , Light thought to himself.

Light took out notebooks from his backpack, the Death Note hidden in between two textbooks. The young man intended to pretend he was doing homework on the ride home, while in reality he would come up with an improvisational way to eliminate Bruce Wayne. The shinigami only visible by Light Yagami cackled as he craned his neck to read what Light had written.

The next bus stop where more passengers would board was when the Death Note's effects would take place. An elder woman slowly took a seat, followed by a stressed businessman. The last person to board was in a crazed state, drawing a pistol to hold up the bus.

"Nobody move! Anyone moves and I'll shoot!", he shouted violently whilst aiming the gun at the passengers. Bruce clenched his fists, restraining himself from charging the gunman, he couldn't take the risk of someone else getting shot because of an impulsive attack.

"H- Here, take everything!", the bus driver trembled in fear as he handed the gunman his daily earnings. The man who had taken the bus hostage pressed his pistol against the driver's head in response.

"I don't want your money, just drive!", the hijacker ordered.

Light had difficulty containing his laughter, everything he had written in the Death Note was going as planned. The light brown haired boy flipped to a blank page and wrote something new. What he had written this time, he would show Bruce Wayne.

 _I'm going to pretend to drop this book and when he comes to pick it up, I'll go for his gun, back me up._

Before Bruce could tell Light not to take the risk, the student deliberately dropped the Death Note in plain sight for the hijacker to see. "Huh? What's this?", the gunman asked as he took the notebook.

Bruce prepared to attack the hijacker as he read Light's note to Bruce. "Planning to jump me? Stupid kid..", the hijacker growled. Before the gunman could do anything else, Bruce leaped over Light and tackled the criminal.

Bruce reached for the hijacker's gun but got too careless and ends up getting kicked backwards. With the billionaire downed, the gunman aims his pistol again and prepares to shoot. What causes the hijacker to hesitate though, is that upon touching the Death Note, he could now see the shinigami named Ryuk. Like anyone would upon seeing the imposing creature, the hijacker began to panic.

The humanoid shinigami frightened the gunman with his light gray skin and extremely slim frame. Ryuk's spiky blue hair matched his lips that contorted into a smile similar to that of the Joker's. The bulging yellow eyes stared into the hijacker's soul, giving the same intimidating feel Ryuk's pointed teeth did. The tall creature had black feathers protruding from its back, varying in length and size like his limbs.

The hijacker didn't hesitate in shooting at Ryuk, but the bullets had no effect on the shinigami, they only went through the creature like a shadow. "Get back! What the hell are you?! Stay away!", the gunman pleaded as he backed away in horror.

"Huh? You can see me? Oh Light, how clever..", Ryuk cackled with glee as he came to realize what the Death Note barer had done. Part of Light's plan was to have the hijacker touch the Death Note so he would be considered crazy upon claiming to see something nobody else did.

"S- STOP THE BUS! I gotta get away! Stop the bus!", the gunman begged as he ran for the exit. He didn't bother in waiting for the driver to listen, he just jumped through the door's glass and fell into the busy street. The gunman didn't get far before an oncoming vehicle ran him over.

Bruce and everyone else on the bus besides Light were baffled. Yagami couldn't resist a smile of relief upon witnessing the success of his plan. The young man crumbled the paper he had written his plan on to dispose of any evidence. Light had planned to execute a criminal named Kiichiro Osoreda when he got home, but tested the Death Note's ability by writing the name into it with a unique death this time.

 _Kiichiro Osoreda will hijack the transport from Daikoku Private Academy at 4:30 PM before going into a frenzy upon seeing something horrifying. Bruce Wayne will try to detain Kiichiro before he runs in front of an oncoming vehicle, dying instantly._ The written death would go unseen by anyone else.

After a nightmare of answering questions from the police and a full coverage of the incident, Bruce and Light went their separate ways. Bruce didn't know if it was just pure coincidence he was sidetracked by the hijacking, but he had no choice but to move onto plan B. If Bruce Wayne couldn't handle Light Yagami.. Batman could.

Bruce planned to investigate Light's household tomorrow when nobody was there. Until then, he returned to the hotel so he could share information with L. The young detective was still hunched over in his chair when Bruce returned, Lawliet now viewed something new on the monitor that had displayed Lind L. Tailor.

"Ah, Bruce. I was just expecting you. I take it things went array with Light?", Lawliet asked without taking his eyes off the monitor.

"You could say that.. how did you know?", Bruce replied as he got closer. His answer was on the monitor, it was displaying a video feed within Light Yagami's home.

"I had Watari place cameras around the Yagami residence as you distracted Light. I hope you don't mind.", L explained.

"Why didn't you consult me first? If you waited, I could have handled it.", Bruce asked in frustration.

"I have no doubt that your search and camera placement would have been more in depth, but I just couldn't afford waiting another night of murders.", L reasoned.

Bruce nodded his head in understanding, forgiving L for going behind his back. "Did you learn anything?", Wayne asked as he surveyed the footage with L.

L placed his thumb on his lip again, a habit Bruce had recognized the detective normally doing when in deep thought. "Not yet. Aside from the story he had to share about the bus hijacking, he's been acting like your average kid. The family seems normal..", L replies.

"Do you think we have the wrong suspect?", Bruce wondered.

"We'll find out soon enough..", L said as he watched Light through the monitor. Light had gone into his father's office to use the family computer. One would assume he was doing homework, but L had set another trap if this weren't the case.

"In your absence, I shared my observation about the time frame killings with the precinct in which Light's father works. Light's reaction will determine whether or not he's our killer..", L explained.

"Aside from him looking into his father's work in the first place..", Bruce added.

Light Yagami frowned upon reading a new case titled 'Kira'. The report regarded Light's heart attack killings and information on the matter pertained to the hours in which Light wrote names after school. _So that's how he narrowed it down to me.. damn you L._ , Light thought.

Light rapidly tapped his fingers on the desk as he thought about a solution. The experiment he had performed on the bus proved the Death Note allowed flexibility. Light planned to write more specified deaths at spread out times throughout the day, in hopes that it would disprove L's theory. Light had no idea that the information shared in his father's report was just bait to trick Light into doing just that.

It was only when Light headed towards his room to write in the Death Note that he realized something was unusual about the situation. Light had been so paranoid after L's broadcast that he set up a three stage security measure on his door. The first stage was obvious and put back, a slip of paper that would drop on the floor if the door were opened. What alerted Light that this was the case, was the second stage of security. Light had left his door hinge on a crooked angle, but whoever had gone into his room left it straight upon closing it again. What made Light believe the trespasser hadn't been one of his family members was the fact that someone had gone through the trouble of putting the paper slip back. This was also where stage three came in, a broken piece of pencil led hidden in the hinge so it would break if someone opened the door. Considering a new piece of led had been put there as a replacement, the trespasser wasn't a common intruder.

Light's suspicions revolving around Bruce Wayne doubled, he started to understand that the billionaire had been some sort of distraction as L searched his room. Light remained cautionary, paranoid that L may have also left cameras to monitor him. Yagami was right, the pressure was on as he pretended to study for his classes.

Light planned to use his Death Note to write names down for tomorrow and avoid killing anyone that night in worries that L would be able to trace the murders back to him. Yagami had no idea that this was going to result in the opposite effect.

The next day doubled Light's murder rate, having criminals and inmates receive heart attacks every hour. Each one died doing something Light wanted to test, one of which was a taunt to L. Light had an inmate write in their blood 'Do you know Gods of death love apples?' before bleeding out. This made L and Bruce extremely curious about Kira's power and if he could control people before death.

"This serves a theory that the hijacking had been staged..", Bruce considered.

"At least we now know for sure that Light Yagami is our killer. The sudden shift in time of murders proves he read his father's case notes.", L adds.

"And yet, that's still not enough.. we don't know HOW he does it, and in the same manner, have no real proof.", Bruce replies in distress.

"Then its time that I take a crack at him.", Lawliet suggests.

Bruce's eyebrows raise in shock, "You're going to meet him in person?", the billionaire asked.

"It's a risk I'll have to take, same as you.", L replies.

The two detectives looked one another in the eye, both trying to decide if this was the best course of action.

 _Next: Detective VS Detective!_


	4. Detective VS Detective!

"I won't let you make the same mistake I did.", Bruce warned his partner.

"You don't have a choice.", Lawliet calmly replied.

The two detectives then rushed one another, each going for an attack with their legs. Bruce recognized the extended vertical kick as one from Capoeira Martial Arts. Wayne managed to easily block Lawliet's kick while allowing his own to connect with L's skull. The younger detective rolled across the floor and could barely regather his footing after having his cranium shaken in such a way. Bruce didn't let up as he leaped overhead and took L from behind, putting the fellow detective in a sleeper hold.

L struggled to keep up with the far superior skilled fighter but countered with a backwards headbutt and proceeded to elbow Bruce in the side. Once his opponent loosened the hold, L slipped free and went on the offensive. With relative ease, Bruce blocked each attack and evaded those that nearly connected. After playing it safe with defensive measures to examine L's fighting pattern, Bruce came to the conclusion that Capoeria was the only form of martial arts that Lawliet knew.

With his victory made certain, Bruce wasted no time in hitting a pressure point that would render Lawliet unconscious. The younger detective fell into Wayne's arms, bested in combat by Batman.

 _I'm sorry L, but I can't allow you to put yourself on the cutting board too. Bruce Wayne has become a target now and my disguise as Matches Malone would be too recognizable, I can't allow you to make the same slip up. Instead, it's time you let Batman handle things._ , Bruce said a silent apology to L.

Suddenly, Lawliet caught the older man by surprise with an acrobatic maneuver that would make The Flying Graysons proud. Bruce rolled to his feet as the two put distance between one another. "How?", Wayne had to ask.

"Watari has performed several forms of acupuncture in attempts to lighten my stress, resulting in an indifference when it comes to my particular pressure points.", L briefly explained. Bruce understood completely, having gone through a similar situation with Alfred.

"Now, we really should stop this fighting. The true enemy is still out there.", Lawliet reasoned.

"He's dangerous and we don't know how he works yet, let me put on the cape and cowl to handle this.", Bruce countered.

"As I said before, we don't have enough incriminating evidence to keep him behind bars if you were to go down such an avenue.", L replied.

"Leave that to me too.", Bruce suggested.

"That would defeat the purpose of our alliance.", L shot back.

In that moment, Bruce let down his guard due to reminiscing a similar conversation he had with Dick Grayson. The similarities were uncanny, from appearance to fighting style to personality, and now the same old argument Bruce often had with his previous Robins.

L took the window of opportunity as an advantage and struck Bruce across the forehead before sweeping the legs out from under him. Despite having been caught off guard, Wayne quickly disables L's legs as well and brings the young detective to the floor for a wrestling match on the ground. It didn't take long for Bruce to pin Lawliet and claim victory in combat a second time.

"Good heavens, stop this nonsense at once!", Alfred Pennyworth demanded upon entering the room to find such a display. Bruce let L free from the hold and the two rolled to their feet as ordered.

"Yes, I agree. We should try using our words rather than our fists..", L said as he brushed himself off.

"So uncivilized.", Watari said from behind Alfred upon witnessing the battle as well.

"Have you changed your mind?", Bruce didn't waver the cold tone he had kept the entire fight.

"No.", L let out an exasperated sigh. "But I don't think I'll get anywhere fighting you in hand to hand combat either..", the detective pondered.

"I propose a compromise. Master Lawliet could perform his examination while you watch from afar as Batman. That way, if things go south, you can interfere.", Alfred suggested.

"..It's not a bad idea..", Bruce reluctantly agreed.

"I find it satisfying as well. Watari, could you have them pull the limo around?", L confirms the plan.

 _Next: The Second Kira!_


	5. The Second Kira!

Nightfall fell upon Japan, the only form of light in the abyss was the full moon engulfing the night sky. Watari pulled up to a cafe in which Light Yagami resided, allowing for L to examine the teen from afar. The young detective communicated with his partner, The Batman, who was perched upon a rooftop across from the diner. "How did you know that Light would be here at this particular hour?", Lawliet asked through the intercom provided by Wayne.

"I spied on him like I'm doing now. I watched him go through a daily routine, every night, he would come here to go over his homework and relax.", Batman explained through the wireless speaker.

"Well done. I hope you aren't expecting me to keep this earpiece running throughout the entire conversation. I think it would be a little suspicious.", L replied.

"That won't be necessary, Mister Wayne provided this wire for you to wear under your clothes.", Watari answered for Bruce as he handed the young detective the device.

"Wonderful..", Lawliet sarcastically mused as he removed the important part of the bug from the wiring.

"What are you doing?", Watari and Batman wondered why L was damaging the device.

"I'll just plant it under the table. I'd rather not be uncomfortable when trying to work.", L briefly explained before heading into the cafe.

Batman watched with binoculars as his partner sat across from Light Yagami. "Mind if I sit here?", the young detective asked the teen.

Light cocked an eyebrow in confusion while setting aside some sort of black notebook. "I don't see why not.. who are you exactly?", Light tested his suspicions that he was given another spy.

"I am L.", the blunt response caught EVERYONE off guard. Batman and Light began to panic in their own way, even Watari was curious as to how things would go from here.

L thumbed his lip as he examined Light's expression. "L, huh? If I DID believe you, what on earth would you be doing in a place like this?", Light asked as he regained his composure. _If this is really L, I'll have to play off whatever suspicions he has. This will be quite the challenge.._ , the teen worried.

"You're the police chief's son and you're at the top of your class. I was hoping to be given some insight from you on the Kira case.", L's excuse made everyone question the scenario further.

"Me, huh? Alright..", Light used his actual confusion to hide any ridden concern. The teen finished a cup of tea before receiving a refill. The calm persona was doing a good job of covering up Light's true intent.

"You're under no obligation to do this, but.. would you mind submitting yourself to a test of your deductive reasoning skills?", L decided to go down a different avenue in trying to make Light slip up.

"Sure. Why not? Sounds like fun.", Light kept up a facade of cheerful willingness as he downed another cup of tea.

"Alright. You can begin by taking a look at these.", L said as he dug out three pictures from his pocket to slide across the table and hand to Light. "None of this information has been made public. You can take as long as you want to look them over, please let me know what you think.", the young detective added to his statement.

Light shifted through the photographs, "Very interesting..", the teen said to stall for time as he examined the images of Kira victims. _Heh. This is child's play, there's print numbers on the back of them. I know from killing these criminals that it's in the wrong order, but I can't ignore either fact without gaining suspicion or passing his test._ , Light mulled over the situation. "The dates on these suggest the murders were in a particular order, as if it send a certain message.. but the sunlight and darkness suggest different times of murder. I think the deaths occurred in THIS order..", Light tapped the correct formation of images with his explanation.

"That's incorrect.", L's response caught the teen off guard. Lawliet paid close attention to Light's reaction, an audible gasp and look of shock. "The thing is.. there were actually four photographs.", L announced as he removed a hidden picture from his pocket to add to the bunch.

Light didn't even need to glance at the newly presented evidence to know it was a fake, "Well, seeing that I only had three photographs to work with, my deduction was perfect.", the teen argued.

"No. It wasn't. The truth is that there's four of them. If you had figured that out, it would have been perfect. Even though you knew there was something strange about the organization, you decided that there were only three pictures almost immediately. You never even considered that there might be a fourth. What do you make of that?", L reveals the trap he had sprung on Light.

 _Damn him! This wasn't about my deduction skills at all! He wanted to see what my reaction would be, he was looking for a sign from me to prove I knew something only Kira would know! If I keep falling for his tricks, I'll be playing right into his hands!_ , the realization stumped Light.

Batman listened to the whole revelation through the bug he had L plant under the table. _You're cutting it close L, if he feels you became too suspicious, he may try to kill you!_ , Bruce worried. The dark knight drew a bat-a-rang from his belt and prepared to step in if things escalated.

"Well.. you got me there. I didn't think of that.", Light did his best to give off a playful defeated tone while masking his anger.

"If you were me, faced with someone you thought was Kira.. How would you go about establishing this person's innocence or guilt? ..To be absolutely sure..", L continued pushing the matter.

Light and Batman both clenched their fists, knowing full well that L was practically taunting the heart attack killer. The caped crusader worried that Light would retaliate while the truth was that Light worried he couldn't do anything if L gathered the right evidence.

"I'd probably try to get him to say something that was never made public in any way, something only Kira would know. Kind of like what you were doing just now.", Light decided he'd play L's game and taunt the detective back.

 _If Light wasn't Kira, he would have no way to conclude that L was trying to make him say something that only Kira would say. By saying this, Light indirectly exposes himself, because it can be inferred that he already knows that there were actually three photos in the crime scene. Since L says that in reality there were four, if Light wasn't Kira, he would have no means to deduce that there were in reality three. So, the phrase "I would make him say something that only Kira could know. Kind of what you were doing right now", is in fact something that only Kira could say! We got him!_ , Batman realized the brilliance of L's trap and began to advance on the cafe.

Just then, the police scanner embedded within Batman's cowl buzzed with a report of numerous Kira murders. "The string out of murders is consistent as we try to get people inside the news outlet.", an officer reported. _That means.. the killer is in that building!_ , Bruce realized.

"L, this may be hard to believe, but we've got the wrong person. There's a situation elsewhere, I'm going to deal with it.", Batman informed his partner before pulling out a grappling hook to soar off into the night.

Outside of the Sakura TV news station, Batman spotted bodies strewed across with empty cop cars indicating they had tried to enter and failed with heart attacks. Luckily, the dark knight was used to sneaking into buildings undetected and worked his way in through the air duct. His entrance through the vents worked fine, but once he got inside, he had to evade being spotted by video cameras. Batman had broken into facilities such as A.R.G.U.S or even Area 51 before, making this sneak attack a walk in the park. It was only when he reached the broadcast room that he let all sense of stealth go and kicked down the door, startling the staff inside. "Where's Kira?!", Batman demanded more than asked.

"We- We were just given these tapes and told to play them!", one of the staff explained as Batman dismantled the monitors.

"I should break every bone in your body for trying to broadcast these. Bring me every tape you received.. NOW!", the caped crusader ordered.

As the staff scrambled to do as they were told, Batman returned his fingers to the earpiece in his cowl. "L, turns out Kira isn't here after all. They were just trying to spread some sort of message.", Batman informed his ally.

"That's unfortunate. Report back to the hotel and we'll go over all that we've gathered.", L replied.

Batman retrieved the package from the faculty before making a hasty, but still stealthy exit. Once he returned to the hotel in which L resided, both detectives shifted through the evidence and played a few tapes to get a full understanding of what they were dealing with. The two were shocked to discover they were recordings meant to reach the true Kira.

"We're dealing with a second killer..", Batman and L both dreaded.

 _Next: The Interrogation!_


End file.
